Abstract: A current motion vector is encoded based on reference motion vectors. First, the number of valid reference motion vectors is counted. According to the number of the valid reference motion vectors, a predictor for the current motion vector is determined. That is, the predictor is determined with a horizontal and a vertical components representing medians of the horizontal and the vertical components of the valid reference motion vectors, or most precedent components of the horizontal and vertical components of the valid reference motion vectors, or 0's. The current motion vector is encoded based on the predictor by using the differential pulse coding technique and the variable length coding scheme.

Abstract: A method for planarizing a patterned structure on a top surface of a substrate comprises the steps of depositing an insulating layer on the patterned structure, implanting ionized atoms of a predetermined depth onto the surface of the insulating layer, coating a photo resist on the insulating layer and partially removing the photo resist so that a portion of the insulating layer on the patterned structure is unmasked at a substantially same magnitude of lateral length as a width of the patterned structure, exposing the unmasked portion of the insulating layer to an etchant until the unmasked portion of the insulating layer is removed to be generally flushed with the remainder of the insulating layer and removing the photo resist from the insulating layer. The method further comprises the steps of repeatedly performing etch back processes, after the removing step.

Abstract: An inventive method for manufacturing an array of M.times.N thin film actuated mirrors for use in an optical projection system includes the step of: providing a substrate; depositing a thin film sacrificial layer on top of the substrate; creating an array of M.times.N empty cavities on the thin film sacrificial layer; depositing an elastic layer; patterning the elastic layer into an array of M.times.N elastic members; forming an array of M.times.N switching device on the substrate; depositing a passivation layer and an etchant stopping layer; removing the etchant stopping layer and the passivation layer, selectively, such that elastic members are exposed; forming an array of M.times.N second thin film electrodes and an array of M.times.N thin film electrodisplacive members, successively, on top of each of elastic members; forming an array of M.times.N actuating structures; and removing the thin film sacrificial layer to thereby form the array of M.times.N thin film actuated mirrors.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner has a cleaner body section having a first recess, and a second recess. The vacuum cleaner further has a first connector section, a second connector section, a suction pipe section and a brush section. First and second arc-shaped slots are provided in order for first and second protrusions of the first connector section to be slidably inserted in the slots and to be placed on the first recess. The second connector section is fixedly inserted in the second recess. The first connector section is connected to the second connector section. When the vacuum cleaner is used in the upright mode, the brush section is detachably connected to the first connector section and the suction pipe section is detachably connected to the second connector section, to thereby provide an air passageway from the brush section, the first connector section, the second connector section, and the suction pipe section, up to the cleaner body section.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a projection angle of a projection system for displaying a picture, which automatically detects a projection angle of a projection lens with respect to a screen and provides computed compensation amounts to an apparatus for pre-compensating an asymmetrical picture, is disclosed. Even when the projection lens installed in the projection system for displaying a picture is disposed at an upward or a downward projection angle, the projection angle is automatically detected and the detected projection angle is provided as the compensation amount to the apparatus for pre-compensating an asymmetrical picture. Consequently, the user does not have to engage in a cumbersome process of setting up the compensation amount through trial and error.

Abstract: A battery pack is disclosed, in which terminal members can be fixed to cases, and which its entire volume can be reduced. The battery pack comprises a pair of battery cells electrically connected in series to each other, a pair of cases receiving the battery cells and including a lid, a cell receiving portion, and a connecting portion respectively, and a pair of terminal members connected to electrodes of the battery cells and fixed to a case so that they are externally exposed. According to the battery pack, as the battery cells are received so as to be exposed outside the cases, its total volume can be reduced. In addition, it has another advantage of fixing the terminal members to the cases positively and easily.

Abstract: Disclosed are method and apparatus for decoding variable length codewords such as a digital image signal at a high speed using a Huffman code tree, in accordance with the present invention, since a variable length coded codeword is stored in a look-up memory in a node order according to levels of a canonical Huffman code tree structure, and the node order of the coded codewords is detected by a predetermined calculating operation so that the node order is used as an address of the decoding codeword when decoding the variable length coded codeword. Therefore, the variable length code decoding is achieved in a manner which simply stores variables in a memory and a latch without changing a hardware when a Huffman code tree is changed by an operation of a central system.

Abstract: A humidifier reduces the noise generated by the dropping of water droplets and can also vent bacteria-destroyed mist. An auxiliary water tank is installed under a water supply tank for receiving the water supplied from the water supply tank. An ultrasonic humidifying vessel is connected to the auxiliary water tank. A heating-type humidifying apparatus is provided at the upper portion of the ultrasonic humidifying vessel. A heating coil is wound around a driving pulley of the heating-type humidifying apparatus. First and second idle pulleys are immersed in the water contained in the ultrasonic humidifying vessel. A humidifying endless belt trains around the driving, the first idle, and the second idle pulleys.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method in a projector in which in order to project a clear picture onto a screen without the occurrence of the keystoning, an asymmetrical picture is pre-compensated is disclosed. In the apparatus and method for pre-compensating an asymmetrical picture in a projector, when the projection lens of the projector is arranged at an upward or a downward projection angle, regardless of the projection angle, a trapezoidal error of the picture projected on the screen is pre-compensated in response to the projection angle setting signal from the projection angle setting section, so that the picture is normally projected onto the screen (e.g., a picture in the shape of a rectangle). Consequently, the performance or structural flexibility of the projector is enhanced by using digital circuits and softwares therefor.

Abstract: An apparatus for use in a low-bit rate coding system is provided for preprocessing a video signal including interlaced even- and odd-numbered fields, each of the fields having video lines, and each of said lines consisting of pixels, resulting from scanning an image, to selectively define a window within the image before the video signal is coded for transmission in the low-bit rate coding system. The apparatus comprises a field window signal generator for providing a field window signal to enable the selective sampling of the field, a vertical window signal generator, in response to the fields window signal, for producing a vertical window signal to define the lines in the sampled field, and a horizontal window signal generator, in response to the vertical window signal, for producing a horizontal window signal to define the pixels for each of the derived lines.